Max Scherzer threw seven strong innings, and Miguel Cabrera had four hits, including a pair of home runs, as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 Friday at Tropicana Field.

Cabrera got it started in the first inning against Alex Colome, launching a two-run homer to left after Austin Jackson walked to start the game.

Tampa Bay was dealt another blow in the second inning, when third baseman Evan Longoria left after irritating the plantar fasciitis in his right foot while running out a ground ball in his first at-bat.

The Detroit third baseman went at it again in the fourth, lauching another home run, this time a solo shot, to left to extend the Tigers' lead to 3-0.

Prince Fielder then doubled, went to third on a flyout, and scored on a wild pitch by Colome to make it 4-0.

Tampa Bay clawed back with solo home runs by Ben Zobrist in the fourth, and Wil Myers in the fifth, and an RBI double by Luke Scott in the seventh that scored Myers, who had singled in front of him.

Scherzer (12-0) was able to get out of the inning without they tying run coming across, getting Jose Lobaton to ground out to end the inning.

Detroit added more insurance in the eighth, when Fielder crushed a Ramos pitch off the C-ring catwalk for a two-run shot, setting the score at 6-3.

The Rays will look to end this two-game mini-skid Saturday night, when Chris Archer (2-3, 4.21 ERA) takes on Justin Verlander (8-5, 3.90 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15, with pregame coverage on 620 WDAE and 95.3 FM starting at 6:00 with the Suncoast Hyundai Dealers Inside Pitch.